Crockpot Shredded Beef Tacos!

This recipe could not be simpler and is SO good! I actually surprised myself! It's perfect for a working mom, or any mom, who needs to just dump the ingredients in the crockpot and go. That's how I came up with it... I had a roast for the crockpot but didn't want stew again (and I know nobody else did either!), so I looked around to see how I could change things up but I only had so many minutes to do so between getting myself and my two boys ready, making breakfasts and lunches, and having to rush out to get to work. I'm sure you know what mornings are like!
I jazzed it up with some fresh ingredients at the end, but those were all just a bonus because I had a few extra minutes in the evening to slice a tomato. Let's be honest sometimes that can be too much to ask! This would also make a super base for something like a beef enchilada casserole or something like that. I'll definitely be browsing Pinterest for some ideas along those lines!

Crockpot Shredded Beef

1 onion, sliced
1 tip roast
1 packet taco seasoning (I used a low sodium one)
1 jar salsa or picante
1 bag frozen corn, optional
1 green pepper, optional
1 pack flour tortillas

the fixins...
fresh tomato
fresh cilantro
grated cheese

Slice the onion and put it on the bottom of the crockpot. Put the roast on top of the onions. Sprinkle the roast with the taco seasoning and then pour the salsa or picante over the top. Easy Peasy! I let mine cook on low for about 8 hours. At around the 6 hour mark, I opened up the crockpot and shredded the beef so it could simmer more and get all flavory throughout. This is also when I threw in the corn and pepper. I added the frozen corn and green pepper mostly because my husband likes veggies more than he likes meat. Feel free to leave them out if you don't have them or don't want them! When it's all done it will look like this....

Scoop it out into some tortillas, add whatever deliciousness you'd like, and chow down!

Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip

So I've really been in the mood to eat something red velvet lately. Not in the mood for just a plain old typical red cake, I went straight to Pinterest for some ideas. I found a red velvet dip and it looked absolutely delicious but it also looked way bad for me. It had cake mix and cream cheese and butter and extra sugar (like there isn't enough in the cake mix already!) I've been trying to make better decisions lately, and let's be honest have a lot of baby way to lose, so I knew I'd feel awful if I made that and wound up eating it all myself. 

So what's a girl to do? Make my own of course and let me tell you it wound up being pretty tasty. It was super quick, super easy, and super yummy. It definitely scratched the itch and it also gave me a way to use the chocolate pita chips I had bought at the store on a whim.

Red Velvet Cake Batter Dip

1/2 box red velvet cake mix (I used Dunkin Hines  Moist Deluxe)
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 container cool whip

Mix these all together until there are no more cake mix lumps. I did it by hand, but it would probably be way easier to use a hand mixer or something. 

For Dipping:

I had Stacy's Chocolate Pita Chips and Nilla Wafers. I think I liked the Nilla Wafers better. 

It would look really pretty if presented with some mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top. 

Oh, and it will fit back into the cool whip container if you happen to eat some right away.

Foodie Penpals!

In the back of my mind I have always wanted to have a penpal. I have just always thought it would be so fun! I love the idea of new and different places and new and different people. When I mentioned this to a friend, she gave me a link to The Lean Green Bean's Foodie Penpal program. I was intrigued. How could I go wrong? Not only would it be a penpal, but a Foodie one at that! So new and different places, new and different people, AND new and different food? Um, yes please. I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit right away thinking I might not have a lot of time, etc. (having had baby #2 in August), but I figured what the heck. Any reason not to do it would really just be an excuse. So I submitted my information and waited for a match.
This penpal program is really neat because you are paired with one person that you send a package to and a different person that you receive a package from. So each time you participate (which doesn't have to be every month, btw) you meet two new people! My first match was a woman from Michigan. I had fun sending a taste of Pittsburgh out to the mid-west! She even sent a cute thank you note in the mail back to me. The foodie paired with me was from Delaware. She is a super sweet college student studying dietetics... which is great because i have some baby weight to lose! We emailed a few times back and forth and then she let me know my package was on its way. I couldn't wait. Once it arrived, I was shocked! It was ginormous! I opened it up and under the tissue paper was a ridiculous amount of stuff!! On the very top was some homemade pumpkin granola- a super tasty healthy snack! She even included the recipe so I can make it again- which I plan to do! There was some crimson blossom herbal green tea, multigrain and flaxseed crackers (which my husband promptly found and paired with cheese!), fruit leathers, banana chips, wild rice mix, a can of soup for a quick lunch, healthier brownie mix, mango butter (um, yum! this will be a super new find for me), and some sea salt and caramel chocolates (which I will likely wait to indulge in when everyone else is sleeping). She even included a holiday rubber ducky and activity book for my boys. #1 was also pumped about the fruit leathers! So thoughtful!!Thank you, Lauren!!
This was such a great experience. It was a nice reminder that there are good people out there. I can't wait to sign up to participate again and see who I get paired with! I hope to keep in contact with my new foodie friends, too.

Pumpkin Mac n Cheese

 Pumpkin Mac n Cheese...

Yes, that's right. Pumpkin Mac n Cheese. I have been looking for more things to do with pumpkin besides make weight watcher friendly cakes and cookies. This definitely isn't weight watcher friendly in large portions, but it is oh-so-good.
Here's the recipe...



Pumpkin Mac n Cheese

1 box macaroni- shape to suit your fancy (i used small rigatoni once and cavatappi once)
2T butter
2T flour
3c milk
15oz pumpkin (a small can- not pumpkin pie mix!!)
16oz cheese (any kind really, for this batch i used a bag of sharp cheddar and a bag of mild cheddar because that's what i had on hand)
black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
add-ins (meat or veggies, optional)

Make the macaroni according to box directions. I always cook it for a minute or so less so it's not mushy. The macaroni needs to maintain it's integrity especially if you bake it.
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a sauce pot. Once it's melted, add the flour and whisk it together. Let it cook for a minute or two and then very slowly (especially at first) add the milk whisking so it doesn't get clumpy. Once all the milk is added, continue stirring until it is brought up to temperature. Once it begins to bubble, you can turn the heat down because as you add the rest of the ingredients and it thickens, it can start to spit at you which is no fun. So the mixture is now beginning to bubble and thicken. Now you can add the cheese in small batches, stirring to melt it in. Then add the black pepper and smoked paprika, if you have it. If you don't, it's still super tasty. You could also add cayenne pepper or something like that if you'd like a kick. If you think it needs any salt, now's the time to add that too. i didn't add any because i thought the cheese would add some saltiness and i don't like things overly salty. Now is also the time to add any extras you would like to put in. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge so i chunked that up and added it. You could also add veggies like carrots or corn or peas, maybe even asparagus or broccoli. I bet a little fresh ground nutmeg would be good too. Experiment. It's the funnest part of cooking! Now add the macaroni and stir to combine. Today I served it just like this- ooey-gooey and melty. Next time if I have more time I will probably try to bake it- put it in a greased 9x13 pan, add some bread crumbs and sprinkle cheese to the top and bake at 350 until the top gets brown and crispy.
Let me know if you try it, if you like it, and what you add to it!  

for the love of oreos!

if you love oreos, this is the recipe for you! it is so popular with all of my in-laws that i am signed up to make it for every gathering. 

oreo truffles
1 pkg oreos, minus 2 (not sure why!)
1 pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 pkg almond bark
it could not be simpler! put the oreos through the food processor and then put it all in a big bowl. use your hands to work the cream cheese through the crumbs until it it totally mixed together. this is the messy and fun way (especially if you have kids!) you can just as easily add the softened cream cheese to the food processor with the oreos once the oreos have been sufficiently pulverized. after this, i suggest putting the mixture in a bowl and putting it in the fridge so it's easier to work with.

next, cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. make small balls out of the oreo mixture and put them on the sheet. once they are all made, put them in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. while they chill down and firm up, melt the almond bark in a double boiler. then dunk the oreo balls in the almond bark and put back on the cookie sheet. i always top them with seasonally appropriate sprinkles. i also really like the white almond bark flavor with these, even though i hate white chocolate. you could also use real chocolate to dunk them in. i haven't because i think if i deviate from the original recipe there will be a revolt. some like them cold out of the fridge. some like them room temp so they are creamy and delicious inside (that would be me). they also freeze really well so you could make a batch or five, freeze them, and then take one out every once in a while when you need a special little treat. give 'em a try. seriously!

pancakes!

i can't think of many things as wonderful as pancakes. and in our house, the weekend equals pancakes. my son is obsessed. i think he could eat them all day every day! today we did a quadruple berry pancake- strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
here's the recipe. it's my mom's and i love it!
1c flour
2tbsp sugar
1tbsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1 egg
2tbsp oil
1cup milk
mix up all the dry ingredients then add the wet to them. don't mix too much, it's ok if it's lumpy. cook em up and eat!
and get creative with the mix-ins! berries, fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit... the possibilities are endless! you can also substitute any fruity baby food or applesauce for the oil. did you know that you can sub mayo for an egg in a pinch if you have to? (like when your hubby uses the last egg and doesn't tell you!)
i also always add some greek yogurt (for protein) and some flax seed (for omega 3s).gotta get the healthy stuff in wherever you can.
i prefer whipped cream on top over syrup, but my son would not agree.

yum!